Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman named Railroader of the Year

December 9, 2013: Joseph H. Boardman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amtrak, has been named 2014 Railroader of the Year by railroad industry trade journal Railway Age.

“Joe Boardman, who came to Amtrak after his tenure as Federal Railroad Administrator, has been chief executive for the past five years, far longer than any of his post-Graham Claytor predecessors,” said Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono. “Under his watch, Amtrak has posted record ridership and revenues, ordered a new fleet of electric locomotives for the Northeast Corridor and new single-level long-distance cars, developed a long-term strategy for additional new rolling stock acquisitions, and is effectively administering major capital programs. Boardman has a sustainable vision for the future of U.S. intercity passenger rail, which includes higher-speed services. As such, he is a deserving recipient of our Railroader of the Year award.”

“My selection for this award is really a tribute to the men and women of Amtrak who are transforming our business culture, improving our customer service, enhancing our safety and security, planning for our future, and strengthening our focus on the bottom line,” said Boardman. “We are accomplishing a great many things and I am proud of all Amtrak employees in helping to make it happen.”

Joe Boardman is Railway Age’s 51st Railroader of the Year. He is the first Amtrak chief executive since the legendary W. Graham Claytor Jr. in 1989 to be named Railroader of the Year. Modern Railroads magazine founded the award, one of the most prestigious in the railroad industry, in 1964 as the “Man of the Year.” Railway Age acquired Modern Railroads in 1991 and has presented the award annually since then. Boardman will be honored on March 11, 2014, at Chicago’s Union League Club. Railway Age will tell the story of Joe Boardman and the organization he leads at Amtrak with a cover story in the magazine’s January 2014 issue, which will also be available online at www.railwayage.com with video highlights, and in the magazine’s January digital edition.

About Amtrak

Amtrak is America’s Railroad®, the nation’s intercity passenger rail service and its high-speed rail operator. Amtrak and its state and commuter partners move people, the economy, and the nation forward. Formally known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Amtrak is governed by a nine-member board of directors appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Anthony R. Coscia is board chairman and Jeffrey R. Moreland is vice chairman. In FY 2013, a record 31.6 million passengers traveled on Amtrak on more than 300 daily trains—at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph)—that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian Provinces. Enjoy the Journey® at Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares, and more information. Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter (@Amtrak), and check out our blog at blog.amtrak.com.

About Railway Age

Railway Age (www.railwayage.com) is a monthly trade magazine circulated at the management levels of North American freight and passenger railroads. Founded in Chicago, Ill., in 1856, it is the transportation industry’s longest-running trade publication. Railway Age is published by the Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp., New York, N.Y.